Touch screens ahead for Kindle, Sony Reader, other e-book machines, via F-Origin’s technology?

May 21st, 2008

Touch screens ahead for Kindle, Sony Reader, other e-book machines, via F-Origin’s technology?

Update, 9:20 a.m.: Also see Kindle, Sony Reader, others to use Wacom pen-input tech—despite F-Origin announcement?

Amazon’s Kindle, the Sony Reader and other E Ink machines might get much easier to use in navigating books. Just touch and tap with your fingers? Rely less on buttons and menus?

It could happen through Prime View International’s new partnership with an American company that supplies force-sensing technology.

PVI is the display vendor for the Kindle and other E Ink machines, and with exceptions such as iRex’s iLiad, such devices do not work with styluses. Nor do they let you use your fingers to move the cursor

But now a North Carolina company called F-Origin will offer its zTouch 3.0 technology to PVI.

Page-turning by touch, other wrinkles

The upshot, according to a news release from F-Origin, is that users will be able to "control book navigation and numerous management functions, such as turning pages, making selections or simply making edits or comments via touch and through gestures and hand writing recognition. The ease of use and high-functionality of zTouch are an ideal match for eBooks by PVI."

As described by PVI separately, "When a user touches the display, proprietary software calculates the location and intensity of the touch with input from the sensors. There is no additional layer of materials on top of the display as there is in traditional touch technologies; as such, there is no impact to the reflective qualities of the display. This technology requires no ITO (the most fragile component in traditional touch panels), hence exhibits superior robustness. Unlike capacitive touch panels which requires the touch medium be conductive (such as a finger), this force sensing technology works with either stylus or fingers."

No specific mention of the Kindle and others, but…

The comments from F-Origin and PVI do not specifically mention new touch capabilities ahead for the Kindle, the Sony Reader and the others. But I would be surprised if they did not appear in those devices or successors. On top of that, keep in mind that separately Epson and E Ink corporation has announced new technology to make E Ink displays faster. Combine that with greater contrast, another issue, and yet more progress perhaps, and might we see E Ink laptops or general-purpose e-paper tablets with touch screens?

Back to the touch screen capabilities from F-Origin. In the words of the North Carolina company’s news release, issued on behalf of both companies, F-Origin’s technology can offer:

–"Extremely high-design flexibility

–High durability

–Simple interface touch gestures

–Low battery consumption

–Variable touch sensitivity and high resolution

–Optimal light throughput

–Handwriting recognition and variable touch sensitivity

–Software-controlled activation level

–Easily integrated with virtually any operating system."

///////////////

Thanks to Alex at MobileRead. Meanwhile, ahead, I’ll reproduce the joint news release, then the separate PVA statement:

Press Release

Source: F-Origin, Inc.

F-Origin and PVI Partner to Implement New zTouch 3.0 Technology Into ePaper
Tuesday May 20, 12:04 pm ET

Patented zTouch Technology Offers Force-Sensing Touch Screens for Wide Range of Mobile and Fixed Display Devices

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. and HSINCHU, Taiwan, May 20 /PRNewswire/ — F-Origin, the leading supplier of force-sensing touch screens, and Prime View International (PVI), the global leaders in ePaper technology and business, announced a strategic partnership today to seamlessly integrate zTouch(TM) 3.0 by F-Origin into PVI’s world-renowned ePaper displays.

The functionality and flexibility in design provided by zTouch is the perfect solution for ebooks and other products that utilize PVI’s ePaper displays. zTouch enables users to control book navigation and numerous management functions, such as turning pages, making selections or simply making edits or comments via touch and through gestures and hand writing recognition. The ease of use and high-functionality of zTouch are an ideal match for eBooks by PVI.

"PVI is excited to partner with F-Origin to further enhance the designs and features of our eBook and ePaper products," said Scott Liu, Chairman and CEO of PVI. "The user interfaces of our eBooks are constantly becoming more and more advanced. By implementing zTouch 3.0 by F-Origin, PVI is able to provide the end-user with the ultimate in design and user-functionality, and our global leading position in ePaper business is further consolidated."

"Our partnership with PVI allows us to deliver simple and intuitive user-interface solutions for ePaper displays," said Joe Carsanaro, President and CEO of F-Origin. "F-Origin touch screens also support Anytouch(TM), which recognizes a variety of touch inputs, be it finger, glove, stylus or pen on any display device."

The zTouch 3.0 demo unit — as well as a 15" point-of-sale device — will be on display at the SID International Symposium, Seminar and Exhibition from May 20-22 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. F-Origin and PVI will be exhibiting the zTouch 3.0 demo unit at booth number 627 on the showroom floor. In addition, Scott Liu will be speaking at the Exhibitor Forum to explain the details and benefits of the F-Origin solution for PVI’s ePaper displays. The forum, titled "A Human Interface for eReader — PVI’s Innovation in Making eReader more User Friendly," will take place in West Exhibit Hall B at 12:00 PM on May 20th.

    Additional zTouch 3.0 Features:

    -- Extremely high-design flexibility
    -- High durability
    -- Simple interface touch gestures
    -- Low battery consumption
    -- Variable touch sensitivity and high resolution
    -- Optimal light throughput
    -- Handwriting recognition and variable touch sensitivity
    -- Software-controlled activation level
    -- Easily integrated with virtually any operating system

About Prime View International

Established in June 1992, PVI is the leading maker of small-to-medium-sized TFT-LCD as well as e-Paper display products. As a pioneer of TFT-LCD technology in Taiwan, PVI established Taiwan’s first TFT-LCD factory in Hsinchu, Taiwan in 1994. PVI’s TFT-LCD products have a wide range of uses, from consumer electronic devices, such as mobile phones, global positioning devices, to industrial applications for use in the aviation and maritime industries. PVI is the pioneer and global leader of ePaper display. Its tradition of innovation now continues with the development and commercialization of an ever friendlier of ePaper display by using the zTouch technology. PVI is listed in Taiwan Stock Exchange with code number 8069. More information is available at http://www.pvi.com.tw.

About F-Origin, Inc.

F-Origin is the leading supplier of force-sensing touch screens that enables OEMs and ODMs to rapidly and cost-effectively develop intelligent interface solutions for mobile and fixed display devices. F-Origin’s proprietary touch screen technologies improve OEM and ODM profit margins by increasing device marketability, improving product design, functionality, performance, ease of use and reducing product development costs and product returns. F-Origin has offices in Silicon Valley and North Carolina. More information is available at http://www.f-origin.com.

F-Origin is a trademark of F-Origin, Inc. All other registered or unregistered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.

     Media Contact:
     Andy Coffaro
     FortyThree, Inc.
     831.401.3175
     acoffaro@fortythreepr.com

//////////////////////////////////////

Separate statement from PVI

PVI announces touch-control e-Paper solution, continues to pull ahead of competition with differentiated products

Leading global ePaper display vendor PVI will announce new product Touch EPD in the 2008 Society of Information Display Exhibition in Los Angeles. “Touch Reader combines innovative touch panel technology and PVI’s existing e-paper product.” says PVI Chairman and CEO Scott Liu, “By humanizing e-paper’s user interface, we expect this new product to spur demands for e-books and solidify PVI’s leadership position in the global ePaper market.”

PVI is now the leading vendor for all the available e-book products in the world. Until now none of the major e-book reader products targeting on consumer electronics marker has combined the touch technology with e-paper. One of the strengths of ePaper is that, as a reflective display, reading it does not strain the eye the way reading a traditional computer screen would. However, because e-paper emits minimal backlighting, when combined with traditional resistive touch panels (which has the light throughput of only 80 – 85%), the book becomes too dark to read. Combining capacitive touch panels is also not ideal either, as the cost is too high and stylus handwriting recognition does not work.

PVI’s new Touch EPD uses the innovative “force sensing” touch technology. In this technology, several force sensors are placed under the e-paper display. When a user touches the display, proprietary software calculates the location and intensity of the touch with input from the sensors. There is no additional layer of materials on top of he display as there is in traditional touch technologies; as such, there is no impact to the reflective qualities of the display. This technology requires no ITO (the most fragile component in traditional touch panels), hence exhibits superior robustness. Unlike capacitive touch panels which requires the touch medium be conductive (such as a finger), this force sensing technology works with either stylus or fingers. The cost of the technology is competitive with resistive and lower than capacitive touch panels. In other words, the force sensing technology is highly competitive against all existing touch technology in the market, especially for the e-paper application.

“PVI’s market leading position in the e-paper product category allows it to gain first hand market insights and capitalize on emerging trends before its competitors”, said Scott Liu, “Gaining exclusive use of this force sensing technology for the e-paper segment is PVI’s most recent strategic move”. Previously, PVI has also developed Flexi-e, the flexible e-paper product. With these strategic maneuvers, PVI enables its customers to launch e-books with more humanized user interface, hence solidifying PVI’s own market position.

PVI’s Touch EPD product is co-developed by PVI and US leading force sensing touch technology vendor F-Origin, in which PVI owns close to 20% stake. In addition to the e-paper project, prior to year end 2008, the partners plan to launch a touch panel LCD product. “Strategically, PVI has turned its focus to developing high margin markets,” summarizes Mr. Liu. “While our competitors are still focusing on ITO-based traditional touch panel technologies, we’ve chosen to go down the path less traveled and free ourselves from the problematic ITO supply chain. The upcoming touch LCD product from PVI will be a product that exceeds market expectations in every way.”

Contact

Stephen Chen

stephenc@pvi.com.tw

TEL:03-5798599 FAX:03-5782815

Johnny Chang

johnnyc@pvi.com.tw

Technorati Tags: F-Origin,PVI,Prime View International

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Posted in Amazon Kindle, E-books and all that, e-book, e-book ergonomics, e-books, e-books and other digipubs, e-ink, ebook, ebooks, kindle |

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 at 6:39 am and is filed under Amazon Kindle, E-books and all that, e-book, e-book ergonomics, e-books, e-books and other digipubs, e-ink, ebook, ebooks, kindle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Tamas Simon Says:
May 21st, 2008 at 1:30 pm

touchscreens?
Makes me wonder…
Do these guys already know something?
Are they trying to compete with an upcoming Apple product… something like the current iPhone just with bigger screen – maybe even OLED?
I’m just speculating here…
Anyways, if it’s a closed system then they can forget about having me be their customer.

Blog Kindle · Touch screen Kindle could be on its way Says:
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:00 pm

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